A prostate examination and treatment system and process is disclosed in applicants'U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,472. The present invention is specifically designed for and intended for use with this patented system and process, which is incorporated herein by reference. In one aspect of this patented invention, an ultrasonic system is employed for detecting, identifying and precisely locating tumors in the prostate gland of a patient. Once a tumor is positively located and identified, it is essential to obtain a biopsy thereof to confirm the need of, or to assist in the decision of what operative or treatment procedures should be employed. The practice of the present invention is not limited to use with the patented system but is deemed operable with any ultrasonic prostate tumor detecting system.
Present procedures for obtaining a biopsy of prostate tumors frequently are painful, result in frequent false negative results, and frequent infections that hinder the healing process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for obtaining a prostate biopsy tissue sample.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a prostate biopsy tissue sample taking system that ensures that the tissue sample taken is removed from the center of the suspected tumor.
A further object of the present invention is a system for taking a biopsy tissue sample from within an area identified as a tumor by an ultrasonic urethral prostate examination probe.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy system that is guided and aimed under the control of the same data acquisition computer employed to locate and define a tumor of the prostate.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy needle aimed by a computer under the direction of an operating physician to ensure accuracy of the deployment of the biopsy needle into an identified tumor.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system for extruding a biopsy needle into the computed center of a defined tumor on a defined geometrical path to ensure absolute accuracy in obtaining the tissue sample.
Another object of the present invention is a biopsy system that provides verification and absolute control to the operating physician in positioning the biopsy needle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and process whereby a tumor tissue sample taken by a biopsy needle can be removed from the patient for examination and, if malignancy is indicated, the biopsy needle can be replaced by a conduit for the introduction of various treatment modalities such as, thermal, surgical, radiological, high energy, cryogenics, or other methods, to thereby provide a system to treat or destroy the tumor without the need for surgical-removal of the prostate.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy needle system that includes the ability to optically inspect, seal the exit wound, and disinfect the rectal wall at the point of biopsy needle penetration to thereby minimize the occurrence of secondary infection.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a biopsy needle system that permits the insertion of a fiber optic light to illuminate the tumor tissue and thereby facilitate malignancy determination thereof.